Labornet Japan is a network of citizens, unionists, activists, scholars and others from all walks of life to share information especially about rights and struggles in and outside of Japan. Established in 2001, the group now has more than 500 members, and the membership is growing. The English site introduces some reports shared on Labornet Japan website and other sources outside of Japan.

Saturday, November 19, 2016

Kill the discrepancy in casual work contract〜Postal workers demand equality

Postal workers, truck drivers and subway vendors
gathered on Nov. 6 in Tokyo calling to eliminate discrimination against casual,
non-regular workers. The workers have each filed a lawsuit against their
companies that treat them differently from regular, permanent employees,
claiming it is a violation of Labor Contract Law Article 20, which stipulates
that no worker be discriminated against if s/he performs the same job.

Japan Post
with the nation’s largest casual workforce of 190,000 people, which takes up
about half of its total workforce, does not guarantee any paid sick leave,
summer or winter holidays to non-regular workers. Working conditions are worse
for casual, contractural workers, who get paid less even though they do the
same job as the regular employees.

“Even
though we lost the district court case against Nagasawa trucking company, we
should and can fight back,” said a labor lawyer, NATSUME Ichiro, cheering on
the struggling unionists at the rally. Following the lawyer’s speech, the union
members presented a skit that explained the discrimination that exists between
regular and non-regular employees. It was entertaining, but as we laughed, we
began to feel angry about how much casual workers are discriminated against.
(By M) *Photo=Lawsuit plaintiffs Youtube